Cape Town - A Swiss student who witnessed the shooting which led to the death of popular entrepreneur Franco D’este, 20, said he was not shot in self-defence.
Four months after Franco was gunned down outside a Cape Town nightclub, the 21-year-old woman has come forward to reveal that police have ignored her statement about what happened on the night he was killed.
Ethan Fisher, 22, turned himself in to police shortly after the shooting and handed over his licensed firearm.
During his first appearance at Cape Town Magistrates’ Court, police did not oppose bail as it was believed that Fisher shot D’este in self-defence and he was released on R2000 bail.
But the witness contacted the Daily Voice to say she feared police were not taking her statement seriously after she emailed them twice and called the station several times.
She said on the night of the shooting, she was out with Fisher and his friend and saw them greeting D’este.
“I have witnessed the situation differently from what Ethan Fisher and his friend have told the police,” she said.
“I know for a fact that they have lied to the police and will lie again in court.
“The young man, Franco d‘Este, was murdered and it was not out of self-defence.”
In her letter, she tells cops that she saw D’este put his hands in the air before the shot went off: “There was no argument and no attack on Ethan,” she says.
“After the incident, his friend sent me messages asking me what exactly I had seen but I never told them as I did not trust them anymore. He asked me to remain silent.”
Police did not respond to questions on the case while Fisher’s lawyer could not be reached.